Beam controlling device for lamps



Jan. 20, 1942. w. s. c. GLOVER 2,270,630

BEAM CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR LAMPS 'Filed Jan. 25, 1941 'lNl/EJVTO'Q Il/5. C. Gum ER,

Patented Jan. 20, 1942 BEAM CONTROI LING DEVICE FOR LAMPS WilliamStephen Cox Glover, Seaford, England Application January 25, 1941,Serial No. 376,000 In Great Britain December 22, 1939 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a beam controlling device for lamps of thetype wherein an apertured cover plate or the like is fitted over thefront of the lamp casing, the said aperture being covered with a glassor window usually of 'diffusive-material such as frosted glass. On thefront of the aperture the beam controlling device is fitted, whichdevice may comprise a plurality of plates in the form of rings, or theymay be horizontally disposed and inclined or otherwise arranged toprevent rays from issuing at an angle above the normal horizontal line.

With such devices, dimming of the light due to dirt on the aforesaidglass necessitates frequent cleaning thereof and it is the primaryvobject of this invention to provide a means whereby the cleaning of thesaid glass can be effected expeditiously.

This and other objects will be apparent from the following descriptionof the accompanying drawing which is illustrative of preferred examplesof the invention wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of the device with thelamp casing shown diagrammatically and in broken lines,

Figure 2 is a front view of the formshown in Fi e 1,

Figure 3 is a front view of an alternative form; and

Figures 4 and 5 are a sectional elevation and invention.

casing which front plates further prevent any upward direction of lightrays.

The mounting of the front housing is by means of a butt hinge ill, thesaid housing normally being retained in position by means of a split pinl I which passes through an aperture in the plate 12 on the cover, saidplate passing through an aperture in the housing. It will be understoodhowever that any suitable form of hinging and looking may be resortedto.

In the form shown in Figure 3 the housing 5' is of general rectangularform, but in its general construction is similar to the form illustratedin Figures 1 and 2. The front of the housing however is open and withinsaid housing a plurality of. vanes l3 extend from front to rear thereof.The housing is hinged to the plate I by means of a pair of butt hingesl0.

It will be appreciated that the internal con-- struction and arrangementof vanes may be varied and that the arrangement shown in the cylin-Referring may to Figures 1 and 2, the device comprises a circular coverplate I which is provided with three horizontal and spaced apartapertures 2 therein. Mounted on the front of the plate I is a glass 3,the said glass being of a diffusive nature and held in position by meansof clips or lugs 4. V

A box-like housing 5 is mounted on the front plate, th said housingcarrying two rear horizontal plates 6 and two front horizontal plates I,while the front of the housing is provided with three horizontal andspaced apart apertures therein. For the type of beam required theapertures 8 are set slightly below the apertures 2, and the plates 6 andI are arranged to prevent light from an aperture 2 from passing througha higher aperture 8. As shown, control plates 6 are positioned justabove slit apertures 2 in cover plate I, and control plates 1 arepositioned just above slit apertures 8 in the front face of housing 5.Since slits 8 are below slits 2, plates 1 are lower than plates 6. Frontplates 9 are provided on the drlcal housings Figures 1 and 2 may beapplied to the rectangular housing in Figure 3 and vice versa.

Means may be provided whereby the angular disposition of the plates orvanes or their distance apart may be altered and one such arrangement isillustrated in Figures4 and 5. The vanes I 4 in this embodiment are ofD-shape and their straight edges are bent over so as to providecylinders for the mounting of the: vanes by means of pivot pins l5 in aframe member I6. All of the vanes-are coupled together by a rod II thelower end of which is connected to a means which will allow the angulardisposition of the vanes to be altered either in a preset manner or fromthe drivers seat. This will serve as a means for dipping" the beam, andthe vanes are shown in broken lines in Figure 4, in the dipped position.

In all the examples illustrated the front plate is fitted onto th headlamp casing as shown in Figure 1 diagrammatically. In practice the frontplate may be fitted into the usual ring which holds the normal headlampglass.

It is to be understood that the embodiments above described arepreferred examples of the invention and are not to be construed aslimiting the scope of the invention which is set forth in theaccompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In' a beam controlling device for a headlight, a cover plate adaptedto be attached to the front of the casing of said headlight, said coverplate being provided with a plurality of parallel slits, a housingcarried on said cover plate and having a front wall substantially parllel to said cover plate and provided with a plura ity of slits whichare parallel to the slits of said cover plate, a plurality of rearcontrol plates mounted on said housing and extending substantiallyparallel to each other and to the slits in said cover plate and beingrespectively mounted immediately above said slits in said cover plate,and a plurality of front control plates mounted on said housing insideof the front wall thereof and extending substantially parallel to eachother and to said slits in said front wall of said housing cover platebeing provided with a plurality of parallel slits, a housing carried onsaid cover plate and having a front wall substantially parallel to saidcover plate and provided with a plurality of slits which are parallel tothe slits of said cover plate, said slits in the front wall of saidhousing being displaced from registry with the slits of said cover platein a direction perpendicular to said slits, a plurality of rear controlplates mounted on said housing and extending substantially parallel toeach other and to the slits in said cover plate and being respectivelymounted immediately above said slits in said cover plate, and aplurality of front control plates mounted on said housing inside of thefront wall thereof and extending substantially parallel to each otherand to said slits in said front wall of said housing and furtherextending toward said-rear control plates, and being respectivelymounted immediately above said slits-in the front wall of said housing,and said front control plates being displaced with reference to saidrear control plates in a direction perpendicular to said control plates.

' 3. A beam controlling device according to claim 1, and a plurality ofprojecting control plates mounted on the outside of the front wall ofsaid housing and extending outwardly therefronisubstantially parallel toeach other and parallel to and immediately above said slits in J thefront wall of said housing.

4. In a beam controlling device for a headlight, a cover plate adaptedto be attached to the front of the casing of said headlight, said coverplate being provided with a plurality of parallel horizontal slits, ahousing carried on said cover plate and having a front wallsubstantially parallel to said cover plate and provided with a pluralityof slits which are parallel to the slits of said cover plate, said slitsin the front wall of said housing being displaced from registry with theslits of said cover plate vertically downwardly in a directionperpendicular to said slits, a plurality of rear control plates mountedon said housing and extending substantially parallel to each other andto the slits in said cover plate and being respectively mountedimmediately above said slits in said cover plate, and a plurality offront control plates mounted on said housing inside of the front wallthereof and extending substantially parallel to each other and to saidslits in said front wall of said housing and further extending towardsaid rear control plates, and being respectively mounted immediatelyabove said slits in the front wall of said housing, and said frontcontrol plates being displaced with reference to said rear controlplates vertically downwardly in a direction perpendicular to saidcontrol plates.

WILLIAM STEPHEN COX GLOVER.

